Process and apparatus for spray treating the boundary surfaces of enclosures,such as tanks and the like



1969 M. T. KENNEDY, JR ET AL 3,460,988

PRQCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SPRAY TREATING THE BOUNDARY SURFACES OFENCLOSURES, SUCH AS TANKS AND THE LIKE Filed March 21, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVETORS MERRITT T. KENNEDLJR JOHN DINEEN ATTORNEY Aug. 12,1969 M. T. KENNEDY. JR. ET AL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SPRAY TREATINGTHE BOUNDARY SURFACES OF ENCLOSURES, SUCH AS TANKS AND THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 21. 1966 I49 5 I44 L i i I42 H6. 3 x?) :1 v s\e 1 I I47 1 1 i I i 35 I 132 I,

45 I I I36 133 l 34 I35 I I37 H} a s 77 1 7 I --32 67 g 28 il3 -3| 66 fA o 6 2 4 I I 27 7| 1 p o i 68 r72 4| 5 42 7 I20 I 43 5| 5 6 4 I 25 11%u 4 53 i 57 n9 1 6| l ,55 62 I00 22 M5 Sr", I

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lo I I? I8 30 I6 47 o A A I g 1 n5 I 6 55 I K i 46 57 l6 2| 5| l F+ iEH5 2e s7 5 i l 83 T "rlO l 9 IVES f h \I U a 6 65 a4 I I a 87 J 80 O 6l 82 V NTORS MERRITT I KENNEDY. JR. J'OHN DINEEN ATTORNEY United StatesPatent PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SPRAY TREAT- ING THE BOUNDARY SURFACES0F ENCLO- SURES, SUCH AS TANKS AND THE LIKE Merritt T. Kennedy, Jr.,Port Washington, and John Dineeu, East Northport, N.Y., assignors toPyrate Sales, Inc., Bayside, N.Y., a corporation of Nevada Filed Mar.21, 1966, Ser. No. 535,938

Int. Cl. B08b 9/08 US. Cl. 134-1 19 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREProcess and apparatus by which the walls of an enclosure, such as atank, may be treated, as for cleaning, wherein an atmosphere of ambientaerosol fog is created in the enclosure, and there is projected throughsaid ambient fog and against the walls of said enclosure a fog beam,while said beam is gyrated in a direction to traverse said walls. Theapparatus comprises a turret rotatable about a first axis and a sonicspray nozzle on said turret rotatable about a second axis at rightangles thereto. A first passageway extends centrally along the firstaxis and along the second axis to the sonic nozzle and a second annularpassageway around said first passageway concentric therewith extendsalong said first and second axes to the sonic nozzle, one of saidpassageways being adapted to conduct liquid, the other passageway beingadapted to conduct a gas.

The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for spraytreating the boundary surfaces or walls of enclosures, such as tanks.

Machines have been used for cleaning tank walls with liquids, in whichone or more nozzles rotate bodily about a vertical axis while at thesame time rotating about a horizontal axis. A machine of this generaltype is exemplified in the Kennedy et al. Patent No. 2,714,080. In thisconstruction, the liquid is projected as a solid liquid stream againstthe surface to be cleaned.

It is alo known to use sonic energy for liquid spray operations. Methodsand apparatus employing such a technique are illustrated in UnitedStates Patent Nos. 2,519,619; 3,070,313; 3,081,946, and in the FortmanApplication Ser. No. 449,189 filed Apr. 19, 1965 now Patent No.3,297,255. In this technique, gas, such as air, under pressure isintroduced into a sonic generator and is emitted therefrom as sonicwaves of compression and rarefaction. A liquid is fed into the sonicfield where the energy waves break up and atomize the liquid into anaerosol.

Sonic spraying units of the known type described produce a fog while theunit is stationary.

It has been found in accordance with the present invention that a sonicspray unit operated to project continuously a directional spray beam orjet of comparatively small angle from a nozzle or nozzles against theencompassing walls of an enclosure, while the nozzles are being turnedabout two axes substantially perpendicular to each other, will producesome unusual, highly desirable effects, resulting in highly efiicienttreatment of the walls, with minimum waste of materials.

In the operation of the sonic spray unit in accordance with the presentinvention, there is produced in the enclosure, an ambient fog, and inthis ambient foggy mass, there is directionally projected against thewalls of the enclosure, a fog beam of comparatively small angle, whichis impacted against the walls and which traverses the walls as theresult of the simultaneous bi-axial movements of the spray unit. Thismovement of a directional,

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sharply-defined fog beam in an ambient fog atmosphere results in thefollowing advantages.

A directional, sharply-defined fog beam of comparatively small angle,projected against the walls of an enclosure, Will impact the walls withgreater force than will a fog generated in a 360 disc shaped pattern orin a comparatively wide angle. It has been found in accordance With thepresent invention, that in a fog beam having the wide anglecharacteristics described, the velocity of the stream drops off verysharply after being exhausted from the nozzle. The resulting fog hassubstantially no motion or turbulence and is substantially static innature. The surface tensions of the fog particles of such smalldimensions created by this technique under these conditions are sogreat, that even the liquid in the layer of fog contacting the walls ofa tank or other enclosure would not be precipitated on these walls.Moreover, in such wide angle beam projection, the actual liquid touchingthe walls of an enclosure is a small part of the actual amount of liquidgenerated. Almost all of the liquid remains in suspension in the gas,and ultimately is precipitated onto the floor of the tank or otherenclosure, before reaching the side walls of the enclosure.

The projection of a comparatively small angle, welldefined beam, as forexample, a conical beam of about 20, against enclosure walls, causes allof the liquid to reach the walls, and the impact is such as toprecipitate a substantial amount of the liquid on the walls, so thatmore effective use of this liquid is made. Moreover, the velocity withwhich the entrained liquid particles in such a beam strikes theenclosure walls, causes these particles to overcome the surface tensionof these particles and to consequently adhere to the impacted walls.Some of the fog rebounding from the surface forms an ambient fog andalso circulates and ricochets into contact with the shadow or blindspots or inaccessible areas of the walls, such as reinforcing structuralmembers or columns, adjoining the areas of the walls directly impingedby the fog beam, thereby assuring complete etfective treatment of allareas of the walls and their supporting and reinforcing structures.

Moreover, the projection of a well-defined, directional fog beam ofcomparatively small angle through an ambient fog and the movement ofsuch a beam through the ambient fog mass, causes the ambient fog tocirculate as the result of the cutting action of this beam through thismass, and as a result of the aspirating effect this beam has on thefoggy mass, thereby delaying the precipitation of the liquid in theambient fog to the bottom of the enclosure, so that greater utilizationof the fog is achieved. At the same time, the presence and circulationof the ambient fog in the enclosure, maintains the walls of theenclosure wet with ambient fog continuously circulating in contacttherewith. This serves to maintain these areas of the enclosure wallswet with treating material from the fog, while other areas are beingdirectly impinged by the fog beams, thereby (1) increasing the effectiveperiod of wall treatment, (2) subjecting areas of the walls topreliminary treatment before the fog beam impinges these wall areas, sothat these wall areas are rendered more amenable to the directimpingement action of the fog beam, and (3) preparing these wall areasfor greater adherence and precipitation of the liquid from the fog beamthereon when the fog beam reaches these areas.

The technique by which a fog beam is projected in a field of ambient fogcan be utilized in a manner to delay or prevent premature drying of anyatomized solid material that may be carried by the fog beam. For thatpurpose, for example, at the beginning of fogging operations, the foggenerated may contain a solvent for the atomized solid particles. Anambient fog is thereby created carrying an excess of this solvent, sothat the drying of the particles during the generation of the fog beamis inhibited.

The present invention can be utilized for different purposes, where itis desired to treat the walls of an enclosure such as a tank. Forexample, it can be employed for removing from the walls of a tank, thelayer of liquid derived from a previous cargo, such as crude oil,lubricating oil, bunker oil, gasoline, furnace oil, Diesel fuel,vegetable or edible oil, etc. in preparation for a fresh or differentcargo of liquid. In conjunction with a gaseous material, such as air orsteam, there may be employed for this cleaning purpose, any well-knowncleaning liquid, as for example, detergents, emuslifiers, solvents, bondreleasing agents, alkalized solutions and acid solutions. For example,amine-amide sulfonates, such as those sold under the trademark Navy24-Penetone, trisodium phosphate or kerosene, may be employed as thecleaning liquid.

In connection with the cleaning operations described, air or steam at100 psi. at a rate of 100 cubic feet per minute may be dischargedthrough each sonic nozzle, while the cleaning liquid may be delivered tothis sonic nozzle for atomization at a rate of 1 gallon per minutethrough each nozzle.

The present invention can also be employed for the purpose of applyingprotective coatings to the enclosure walls. The coating materials forthat purpose may constitute, as for example, inorganic zinc coatings,such as basic zinc silicate complexes, epoxy resins, such as those soldunder the trademark Devran by Devoe & Reynolds, zinc epoxys, cosmoline,and all types of paint and paint products. These coatings may beemployed as corrosion controls or to preserve the quality or purity of acargo against contamination from rust and the like on the walls of theenclosure.

The present invention can also be employed for the purpose of treatingthe enclosure walls with rust inhibiting solutions, such as sodiumnitrites solutions or with rust removal solutions, such as hydrochloricacid and sulfuric acid solutions.

In all of these phases of the present invention, the proportions of gasand liquid or solid, and the pressures of the gases depend on thecharacter of operations to be performed, and the determination of thesepressures and proportions and the selection of the proper liquid orsolid are well within the ken of those skilled in the art.

Besides the method described, the present invention relates to a new andimproved type of spray machine biaxially operable. In accordance withthe present invention, the spray machine provides for the passage ofliquid and gas through separate conduits thereof and utilizes at leastsome of the gas to produce driving power for the spray machine.

Various other features and advantages of the invention are apparent fromthe following description and from the accompanying drawings, in whichFIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a two nozzle spray machine, whichembodies the structural features of the present invention and which isshown in operation carrying out the method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an impingement pattern of two beams from the twonozzles of the spray machine projected through successive phases on ahorizontal section of a wall being treated by the process shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of a spray machine, which embodies thestructural features of the present invention and which can be used tocarry out the method of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a section of the spray machine taken on lines 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section of the spray machine taken on lines 55 of FIG. 3;and

FIG. 6 is a section of the spray machine taken on lines 66 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a sonic spray machine compising a turret 10 adapted to be driven about a vertical axis A in theoperation of the machine. This turret 10 carries a nozzle arm 1.1rotatable with said turret head about this vertical axis A and alsorotatable about an axis B at right angles to the axis A. The nozzle .arm11 rigidly carries two sonic spray nozzle units 12 diametricallyarranged with respect to the axis B. The spray machine is provided withinner and outer conduits for the separate passage of the treating liquidand of an atomizing gas under pressure therethrough to the nozzle units12, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

The turret 10 comprises a hollow shaft 13 adapted to extend verticallyin the operation of the spray machine, and having a center hollow 14therealong serving as an inner conduit for the passage of liquidtherethrough. This vertical shaft 13, on one side, near its lower endhas an opening 15 receiving the end of a horizontal tubular fitting 16,which is sealed to said shaft by means of a seal 17, held in operativeposition by a retainer ring 18, secured to said shaft by screws (notshown), and which forms part of the nozzle arm .11, as to be movablewith said arm bodily about the vertical axis A and rotatable about thehorizontal axis B. The tubular fitting 16 has a center hollow 19therealong in communication with the hollow 14 of the vertical shaft 13to form an inner conduit for the passage of the liquid therethrough.

A housing 25, forming part of the turret 10, and enclosing the drivemechanism for the turret, is secured to the lower end of the verticalturret shaft 13 by means of screws 26. This housing 25 is rotatablysupported on a stationary tubular support 27 encircling the verticalturret shaft 13 and peripherally spaced therefrom to form an outerannular conduit or passage 28 for the gas. This turret support 27extends at its upper end into .a stationary tubular fitting 30 with asnug conforming sealing fit and is secured thereto by a snap ring 31.This tubular fitting 30 at its upper end has a tubular head 32peripherally spaced from the vertical shaft 13 to form an outer annulargas conduit or passage 33 in communication with the outer gas passage28, and is internally threaded to receive an adapter 34 for a hosecoupling 35 to be described hereinafter.

The housing 25 has an upper tubular neck 40 encircling the stationarytubular support 27 :and supported thereon by a ball bearing unit 41 forrotation with the shaft 13 about said support and about the axis A. Thehousing 25 also has a tubular side extension 42 encircling the nozzlearm 11 and supporting it through anti-friction bearings 43, and 44, topermit the nozzle arm 11 to rotate with the turret 10 about its verticalaxis A and at the same time, about its own horizontal axis B.

Encircling the horizontal tubular fitting 16 and forming part of thenozzle arm 11 is a hollow shaft 46 supported on the side tubularextension 42 of the housing 25 by means of the anti-friction bearings 43and 44 for rotation about the horizontal axis B, while said shaftrotates bodily about the vertical axis A. The end of the horizontaltubular fitting 16 furthest from the vertical axis A, has a boss 47extending radially outwardly from the main tubular body to the innerperiphery of the horizontal shaft 46, to center said fitting withrespect to said shaft. The horizontal shaft 46 is radially spaced fromthe tubular fitting 16 to form therewith an anular gas passageway 50 incommunication with the outside gas passageway 28.

The two sonic spray nozzle units 12 include a nozzle carrier 51 havingtwo similar diametrically opposed tubular sections 52, radiating from acenter hub 53 into which one end of the horizontal shaft 46 extends witha snug sealing connection. The boss 47 is circular in crosssectionexcept for two diametrical opposed sections, cut away to form with theinner periphery of said shaft, two opposed chordal openings 54establishing communication between the outside gas passageway 50 and thehollow of the tubular nozzle sections 52. These cut-aways fall short ofthe end of the boss 47 to form at the end of said boss as part thereof acircular flange 55 against.

which abuts a hub cover 56, secured to the center hub section of thenozzle carrier 51 by screws 57. The horizontal shaft 46 terminates atone end beyond the boss 47 into a tubular extension 58 of reduceddiameter extending with a snug fit through a hub section 60 of the cover56. A plug 61 is screwed into this shaft extension 58 and terminates atits outer end into a pair of finger plugturning wings 62.

Mounted in each of the tubular sections 52 of the nozzle carrier 51 is asonic spray nozzle 65. This spray nozzle 65 comprises a housing 66threaded into the outer end of a corresponding tubular section 52 and atubular stem 67 extending through the center of the housing and securedtherein by a threaded engagement between said stem and a spider 68rigidly secured in said housing. The housing 66 forms an annular gaspassageway 70 around the stern and the spider 68 has a series of holes71 therein to permit gas flow through said passageway. The tubular stem67 extends snugly into a round hole in the boss 47 with a sealingconnection, and has a hollow 72 in communicaiton with the hollow 19 ofthe horizontal tubular fitting .16 for the passage of the treatingliquid therethrough.

The outer end of the tubular stem 67 terminates in a head 73 serving asa reverser or resonator and defining a resonator cavity 74. The insideof the housing 66 defines around the stem 67 the annular gas passage 70tapering towards the resonator 73 and terminating in a restrictedannular orifice 76 leading into the cavity 74, so that the pressureenergy of the gas is converted into a velocity energy as it passesthrough said orifice into said cavity. The gas emitted as a supersonicjet stream from the orifice76 is compressed in the resonator cavity 74,as explained in the aforesaid US. Patent Nos. 2,519,619; 3,070,313 and3,081,946 and is reversely directed from said cavity toward an annularconical well 77 in the nozzle housing 66. The jet stream is emitted fromthe well 77 as sonic waves of compression and rarefaction havingdesirably inaudible frequencies above 10,000 cycles per second, as forexample, those in the supersonic range and having a well-defined conicalbeam configuration of small angle a, desirable in the order of about to50 and preferably about The liquid discharged from the stem 67 isinjected into the high energy sonic field generated. This fieldfragments the liquid into a fine aerosol, in which the liquid is brokenup into a fog, carried as a directional beam or jet C of the statedconfiguration towards the enclosure walls to be treated.

For driving the turret 10, as well as the nozzle arm 11 about thevertical axis A and for driving at the same time the nozzle arm aboutthe horizontal axis B, there is provided a drive mechanism operated froma gas motor 80, powered by part of the gas supplied to the spray machineto form the directional fog beams C ejected from the nozzles 65. The gasmotor 80 comprises a housing 81, secured to the lower end of the housingconstituting part of the turret 10, by means of screws 82, and separatedtherefrom by a plate 83 to define two superposed chambers 84 and 85. Thelower chamber 84 is circular and encloses the operating parts of the gasmotor 80, while the upper chamber 85 encloses part of the drivemechanism between the gas motor and the turret 10.

A vertical motor shaft 86 passes eccentrically through the motor chamber84 and passes also through the upper chamber 85 and has centrally keyedor otherwise rigidly secured thereto a circular rotor 87 located in saidmotor chamber. This rotor 87 is smaller in diameter than the chamber 84and, therefore, is eccentrically positioned in said chamber.

The rotor 87 has a series of equally spaced radial slots 88, six beingshown, arranged in diametrically aligned pairs. Slidable in these slots88 respectively are blades 90, each being engaged at its radially innerend with a bearing clip 91. A series of equally spaced dowel pins 92,three being shown, slidably pass diametrically through the motor shaft86. Each dowel pin 92 bears against the clips 91 of a pair ofdiametrically aligned blades and are long enough to position theseblades in substantially sealing engagement with diametrically oppositeside walls of the housing 81, in one angular position of these blades inrelation to the housing; in other angular positions of diametricallyaligned blades 90, centrifugal force on these blades assures sealingcontact thereof with opposite side walls of the housing.

The housing 81 forms with the eccentrically mounted rotor 87 acrescentic space 93, and the housing has an inlet 94 for the gas underpressure entering into a narrow section of the space and has an outlet95 opposite the widest section of the space closed by a filter 96. Thegas under pressure admitted in the space 93 expands and acting on theblades 90 drives the rotor 87.

The speed of the gas motor 80 can be controlled by controlling thepressure of the motive gas admitted therein through the inlet 94. Forthat purpose, the housing 25 has an annex communicating with theinterior of the main part of said housing by means of a passageway 101in communication with the gas passageways around the turret shaft 13 anddefining a gas supply valve passage 102 leading to the motor inlet 94.This valve passage 102 has a valve seat 103 cooperating with a valvemember 104 threaded in said valve passage and having a slotted head topermit it to be turned with a screwdriver. The valve member 104 can beset to admit gas to the gas motor under controlled pressure according tothe desired speed of rotation of the turret 10 about the vertical axisA.

The gas motor 80 drives the shaft 86, which in turn drives the turret 10through a drive mechanism, comprising a pinion carrier in the chamber 85pinned to said shaft and having journalled in two opposed flanges 112thereof, the shaft of a pinion 113 meshing with two superposed ringgears 114 and 115. The ring gear 114 is affixed to the plate 83, whilethe ring gear 115 is driven, and for that purpose, is secured to a hub116, which in turn is secured to the lower end of a vertical rotatableshaft 117, carried by the housing 25 of the turret 10 and supported in abearing 118 secured to said housing. The upper end of the shaft 117carries a pinion 119 meshing with a fixed spur gear forming part of thelower end of the stationary turret support 27. The space around theshaft bearing 118 forms a passageway for the gas between the gaspassageway of the turret support 27 and the passageway 101 in thehousing annex 100.

Although the two ring gears 114 and 115 have the same diametrical pitch,they differ slightly in the number of teeth. For example, the fixed gear114 may have 81 teeth and the driven gear 115 may have 80 teeth. Withthis gear teeth ratio, when the pinion 113 has gone around the inside ofthe ring gears 114 and 115 through one complete turn about the axis ofthe motor shaft 86, the driven gear 115 with its shaft 117 will rotate Aof a revolution, and the pinion 119 will rotate the same amount aboutthe axis of said shaft, causing said pinion to be driven along the fixedgear 120 an amount according to the diametrical pitch ratio between saidpinion and said gear. Assuming in a specific embodiment of theinvention, that the gear 120 has 36 teeth, and the pinion 11 8 meshingtherewith has 12 teeth, 243 revolutions of the gas motor shaft 86 willrotate the pinion three revolutions about its own axis and onerevolution about the vertical turret axis A. Since the pinion shaft 117is carried by the housing 25 of the turret 10, the rotation of thisshaft about the turret axis A drives the turret 10 with it about saidaxis.

The rotation of the turret 10 about the vertical axis A, causes thenozzle arm 11 carrying the nozzle units 12 to also rotate about thisvertical axis, and this rotation of the nozzle arm causes the nozzle armwith its nozzle units to rotate at the same time about the horizontalaxis B. The drive for rotating the nozzle arm 11 about the horizontalaxis B comprises a bevel gear 121 forming an integral part of thehorizontal rotatable shaft 46 at one end thereof and meshing with afixed bevel gear 122 forming an integral part of the lower end of thefixed turret support 27. The movement of the nozzle arm 11 about thevertical turret axis A drives the gear 121 along the fixed gear 122, andcauses thereby the shaft "46 to rotate about the horizontal axis B. Thiscauses the nozzle units 12 to rotate about the horizontal axis B, whilemoving about the vertical turret axis A.

If the number of teeth in the two gears 121 and 122 were the same, forevery revolution of the nozzle units 12 about the vertical turret axisA, the nozzle units would make one revolution about the horizontal axisB. Therefore, if a fog jet or beam from a single nozzle 65 impinges on aselected area of a wall at the beginning of a revolution of the turret10 about its vertical axis A, the beam would impinge on the sameselected area at the end of this revolution, and at the end of allsubsequent revolutions, so that only a single stripe area of the Wallwould be covered by direct impingement of a fog beam from each nozzle,and the same area would be covered by successive revolutions of theturret 10 about its vertical axis.

To attain coverage of substantially the entire wall area of theenclosure by successive revolutions of the turret 10 about its verticalaxis, the gear teeth in the two meshing bevel gears 121 and 122 difierby a small number. For example, the fixed bevel gear 122 has 36 teeth,and the bevel gear 121 meshing therewith has 34 teeth. Therefore, forevery revolution of the turret 10 about the vertical axis A, the nozzles65 will rotatel of a revolution about the horizontal axis B. That extraof a revolution of the nozzles 65 about the horizontal axis B for everyrevolution of the turret it) about the vertical axis A causes eachnozzle to generate eighteen successive impingement stripe convolutionson the enclosure walls, phasically offset from each other before theconvolutions start repeating themselves. This assures substantiallycomplete coverage of the walls by direct impingement of the fog beam Cthereon from each nozzle 65, and more so by both nozzles.

FIG. 2 shows approximately the pattern of impingement of the fog beam Cfrom one nozzle on a wall of the tank or other enclosure being treated,ignoring the offset of the nozzle in relation to the vertical turretaxis A, its displacement effect on the wall being very small. The roundareas indicated are the areas impinged by the nozzle 65 on a horizontalregion of the tank wall D. The successive areas are indicated with thenumerals R, /2R, 1R, 1 /2R and 2R, indicating impingement at 0, /2, 1, 1/2 and 2 revolutions respectively of the turret about the vertical axis.The corresponding directions of movements of the areas 0R, /2R, 1R, 1/2R and 2R, are indicated by the arrows 0R, /2R, 1R, 1%R and 2Rrespectively.

If it is assumed that in one original phase position of the spraymachine, the fog beam C from a nozzle 65 impinges an area of the tankwall D, shown as area 0R, then as the turret 10 rotates about thevertical axis A and the nozzles 65 rotate about the horizontal axis B,the impingement area 0R moves along the wall D approximately in theinclined direction 0R. At the end of one-half revolution of the turret10 about the vertical axis A, the fog beam from this same nozzle 65moving in the inclined direction /2R', will impinge an area of the wallD, shown as area /2R, displaced horizontally from area OR, a distance ofabout one-half the width of the area. At the end of the first revolutionof the turret 10 about the vertical axis A, the fog beam C from the samenozzle 65, moving in the inclined direction 1R, impinges on an area ofthe wall D shown as area 1R, substantially tangentially to the area 0R.At the end of one and onehalf revolution of the turret 10 about thevertical axis A, the beam from the same nozzle 65 moving in the inclineddirection l /zR' will impinge on an area of the wall, shown as area 1/2R, substantially tangential to the area /2R. At the end of the secondrevolution of the turret 10, about the vertical axis A, the fog beamfrom the same nozzle 65 moving in the inclined direction 2R impinges onan area of the wall D, shown as area 2R, substantially tangential to thearea 1R. The successive impingements of the fog beam C for one nozzle 65on the tank wall D, phasically oifset as described, will be continuedduring 18 revolutions of the turret 10 about the vertical axis A beforebeing repeated, while the other nozzle 65 is creating the sameimpingement pattern on the opposite wall.

For operation, the spray machine described is secured to a hose assemblyadapted to deliver treating liquid and gas under pressure, such as airor steam, through separate concentric annular chambers to the spraymachine, and is suspended therefrom in a tank to be treated. The hoseassembly 130 is secured to the fixed adapter 34, which has two tubularsections 131 and 132, separated by a flange 133, which is adapted to beseated against the end of the fixed tubular fitting 30. The lowertubular section 130 is externally threaded and screwed into the uppersection of the fixed tubular fitting 30, and the upper tubular section132 is also externally threaded to receive the coupling collar 35screwed onto said tubular section 132, and forming part of the hoseassembly 130. A spider 135 between the hub and the peripheral wall ofthe adapter 34 has a series of arcuate holes 136 for the passage of thegas therethrough, and carries an anti-friction bearing 137 for the uppersection of the shaft 13.

The hose assembly 130 comprises a hose nipple 140 having a lower flangedend clamped between the upper end of the adapter 34 and a flange on thecoupling collar 35. A resilient hose 142 is clamped to the nipple 140. Ahose nipple 144 inside the hose nipple 140 and hose 142. has its lowerend fitted snugly with a sealing fit into the upper end of a nipple 145secured to the adapter 34 by screwing and by means of the pin 146, andis centrally spaced by a spider 147 with gas holes 148 between thenipples 140 and 144. A resilient hose 149 inside the hose 142 is securedto the upper end of the hose nipple 144. A filter screen 150 is placedaround the nipple 145 for the gas.

A T-fitting 151 delivers gas under pressure to the hose assembly 130 forpassage along the outside of the central hose 149 and nipple 144, whilethe treating liquid is separately delivered along the inside of saidhose 149.

In operation, the spray machine is lowered through an opening in the topof a tank or other enclosure whose walls are to be cleaned or otherwisetreated, until the machine is at a desired level in said tank. Thenecessary valves are then opened to deliver gas, such as compressed airor steam and the treating liquid to the spray machine through the hoseassembly 130, for separate passage through said machine to the nozzles65. Under these conditions, the turret 10 rotates about the verticalaxis A, while the nozzles 65 rotate about said axis and at the same timeabout the horizontal axis B. At the same time, the directional fog beamsor jets C of comparatively small angle, desirably in the order of about20, are generated and projected from the two nozzles 65 against thewalls of the enclosure. Soon after the start of operations, an ambientfog is created in the tank or enclosure filling the enclosure, and thedirectional beams C projected through this ambient fog and against thewalls of said enclosure, while the geams are gyrating about two axes atright angles to each other, thereby maintain the ambient fog in thestate of turbulence, and maintain the fog in the state of suspension.The precipitation of the ambient fog to the bottom of the enclosure isthereby delayed, thereby prolonging the effectiveness of the ambientfog.

The ambient fog wets and preliminarily treats the regions of walls ofthe enclosure before the directional lmpinglng beams C reach thesewalls, thereby enhancing thendesirable effects of these impinging beamson said wa s.

The finely atomized liquid particles carried by the high velocity gascurrents in the directional beams C after they are impacted against awall are ricocheted by the impacted wall and are carried to otherwiseinaccessible parts of the wall structure adjacent to the impacted areas,thereby assuring treatment of these wall structure parts.

The ambient fog as described, can be utilized as a carrier of a solventto delay drying of solids, in case such solids are employed in solution,as the liquid medium. For that purpose, the spraying operation can becarried initially with the solvent alone or in excess amounts to createthe conditions indicated. After the ambient solvent fog has beencreated, the normal spraying Operations, with the desired proportion oftreating liquid is then commenced.

The treating operation can be carried out and completed with the spraymachine in one position in the tank or enclosure, or the position of thespray machine can be changed elevationally or horizontally, afterperiods of operation of said spray machine, according to the size orshape of the tank and the degree of intensity of treatment desired.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to aspecific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limitedthereto but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of treating the walls of an enclosure comprising creatingin the enclosure an atmosphere of ambient aerosol fog and projecting anaerosol fog beam through said ambient fog and against said walls whilegyrating said beam in directions to cause said beam to traverse saidwalls.

2. The method as described in claim 1, said ambient aerosol fog and saidaerosol fog beam being created by injection of liquid into a highintensity sonic energy field.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said beam is gyratedabout two axes substantially at right angles to each other.

4. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said fog beam is gyratedto effect movements of said beam about two axes substantially at rightangles to each other, the rates of gyration about one axis relative tothe rate of gyration about the other axis being such as to generate afirst series of successive impingement stripe convolutions on said wallsphasically offset from each other before this series of successiveimpingement stripe convolutions is repeated and superposed on the firstseries.

5. The method as described in claim 1, said ambient aerosol fog and saidaerosol fog beam being created by injection of liquid into a highintensity sonic energy field, and said beam is gyrated to effectmovements of said beam about two axes substantially right angles to eachother, the rates of gyration about one axis relative to the rate ofgyration about the other axis being such as to generate a first seriesof successive impingement stripe convolutions in said walls phasicallyoffset from each other, before this first series of successiveimpingement stripe convolutions is repeated.

6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the ambient aerosol fogis created by the same gas-liquid mixture that creates the aerosol fogbeam.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the ambient aerosol fogis initially created by a gas-liquid mixture in which the liquid ispredominately a solvent for a wall-treating solid and wherein theaerosol fog beam is subsequently generated with a gas-solid-liquidmixture, in which the liquid is the solvent for the solid and said solidis soluble in the liquid contained in said ambient fog.

8. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the fog beam is a conicalbeam of comparatively small angle in the order of about 10 to 50.

9. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the non-gaseousingredient of the fog beam is of the class consisting of a wall cleaningingredient, a rust-inhibiting ingredient, a rust removing ingredient andan ingredient applying a protective coating to the walls.

10. A spray machine comprising a turret mounted for rotation about afirst axis, a sonic spray nozzle supported on said turret for rotationabout said axis and for rotation about a second axis substantially atright angles to said first axis, means for driving said turret aboutsaid first axis and for driving at the same time said nozzle about saidsecond axis, and means for conducting a gas fluid and a liquid fluidthrough said machine to said sonic spray nozzle, to generate at saidnozzle a directional fog beam in which the liquid fluid is entrained andprojected as a fine mist, said conducting means comprising a firstpassageway extending centrally along said turret and said first axis andthen, centrally along said second axis to said spray nozzle for one ofsaid fluids, and a second annular passageway around said firstpassageway concentric therewith and extending along said second axis tosaid spray nozzle for the other of said fluids.

11. A spray machine as described in claim 10, wherein said sonic spraynozzle comprises means for creating from the gas conducted therethrougha high intensity sonic energy field, and means for injecting said liquidinto said field to break said liquid into a micromist and projecting itin the form of a directional fog cone of small angle.

12. A spray machine as described in claim 10, comprising means forutilizing at least a part of the gas conducted through said spraymachine as the motive power for said driving means.

13. A spray machine comprising a turret mounted for rotation about afirst axis, a sonic spray nozzle supported on said turret for rotationabout said axis and for rotation about a second axis substantially atright angles to said first axis, means for driving said turret aboutsaid first axis and for driving at the same time said nozzle about saidsecond axis, means for conducting a gas and a liquid through separatepassageways through said machine to said sonic spray nozzle, to generateat said nozzle a directional fog beam in which the liquid is entrainedand projected as a fine mist, and means for utilizing at least a part ofthe gas conducted through said spray machine as the motive power forsaid driving means and comprising a rotary gas motor including ahousing, a shaft in said housing eccentrically located, a rotorconnected to said shaft and eccentrically located in said housing, todefine with the peripheral wall of said housing a progressivelyincreasing gas expansion chamber, said housing having an inlet leadingto the smaller section of said chamber and an outlet at the larger endof said chamber, and vanes carried by said rotor and travellingcyclically along said expansion chamber by the driving action of theexpanding gas thereon.

14. A spray machine comprising a turret mounted for rotation about afirst axis, a sonic spray nozzle supported on said turret for rotationabout said axis and for rotation about a second axis substantially atright angles to said first axis, means for driving said turret aboutsaid first axis and for driving at the same time said nozzle about saidsecond axis, means for conducting a gas and a liquid through separatepassageways through said machine to said sonic spray nozzle, to generateat said nozzle a directional fog beam in which the liquid is entrainedand projected as a fine mist, and means for utilizing at least a part ofthe gas conducted through said spray machine as the motive power forsaid driving means and comprising valve means for adjusting theadmission of the motive gas to said gas motor to control the speed ofsaid motor.

15. A spray machine comprising a turret mounted for rotation about afirst axis, a spray nozzle supported on said turret for rotation aboutsaid axis and for rotation about a second axis substantially at rightangles to said first axis, conduit means for conducting a fluid throughsaid turret for ejection from said nozzle in the form of a jet, a rotarymotor, a drive mechanism between said motor and said turret comprising amotor shaft, a pinion carrier secured to said shaft for rotationtherewith, a pinion journalled in said carrier and having its axisparallel to the axis of said shaft and spaced therefrom, a pair of gearsmeshing with said pinion, one of said gears being fixed relative to saidturret, the other being driven, said gears differing in the number ofteeth by a small amount, whereby for every revolution of said pinionabout said shaft axis, the driven gear rotates a small part of arevolution corresponding to the number of teeth difference between saidgears, a drive connection between said driven gear and said turret torotate said turret about said first axis, and a drive connection betweensaid turret and said nozzle for driving said nozzle about said secondaxis while rotating about said first axis.

16. A spray machine as described in claim 15, said gears comprising ringgears with internal teeth, said pinion being located inside said gears.

17. A spray machine as described in claim 15, said drive connectionbetween said driven gear and said turret comprising a fixed tubularsupport for said turret defining part of said conduit means for saidfluid and having an annular gear rigidly secured thereto, a shaft rigidwith said driven gear and carried by said turret, the latter shafthaving an axis substantially parallel to said first axis and spacedtherefrom, and a pinion on the latter shaft meshing with said annulargear.

18. A spray machine as described in claim 15, the drive connectionbetween the turret and the nozzle comprising a nozzle arm connectingsaid nozzle to said turret and including a tubular shaft defining partof said conduit means for said fluid and extending along said secondaxis, and intermeshing annular gears rigidly secured to said tubularsupport and said tubular shaft respectively.

19. A spray machine comprising a fixed tubular support, a turretsupported on said support for rotation about a first axis along saidsupport, a nozzle, a nozzle arm connecting said nozzle to said turretfor rotation with said turret about said first axis and rotatable abouta second axis substantially at right angles to said first axis, andincluding a tubular shaft extending along said second axis, conduitmeans for conducting a fluid through said machine for ejection from saidnozzle in the form of a jet, and comprising said tubular support andsaid tubular shaft, a rotary motor, drive means between said motor andsaid turret for driving said turret about said first axis and comprisinga turret shaft carried by said turret and having its axis parallel toand spaced from said first axis, a gear secured to said turret shaft anda fixed annular gear rigidly secured to said support and extendingconcentrically around said first axis, said gears intermeshing, andmeans for driving said tubular shaft about said second axis as saidturret rotates about said first axis and com prising a pair ofintermeshing annular gears secured to said tubular support and saidtubular shaft respectively and coaxial with said first and second axesrespectively.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,714,080 7/1955 Kennedy et al134-24 3,281,269 10/1966 Watts 134-1 3,371,869 3/1968 Hughes 239-4 XMORRIS 0. WOLK, Primary Examiner J. D. OLSEN, Assistant Examiner U.S.Cl. X.R.

